Barnoldswick strike vote closes 13 August

Submitted by martin on 10 August, 2021 - 5:06 Author: Ollie Moore
Barnoldswick strikers and supporters

The Unite union is balloting its members at the Rolls Royce plant in Barnoldswick for strikes, with the vote due to close on 13 August. A group of 17 engineers at the plant have already launched a new strike from 9 August, following a planned shutdown of the plant. Prior to the shutdown, the engineers had struck for two weeks, concluding on 23 July. The first day of the new round of strikes was marked with a protest at the plant.

Workers at the plant previously struck in 2020 against Rolls Royce’s plans to offshore work, thereby cutting jobs. The strikes ended with a settlement including a number of guarantees for the future of work at the plant, including a commitment to minimum staffing levels, and assurances of new work coming into the site. Rolls Royce bosses have now informed Unite that they plan to backtrack on those commitments, with a promised training academy for new staff slated for closure and demolition just two years after it opens.

Unite regional officer Ross Quinn said: “This dispute could be put to bed very quickly if Rolls Royce’s leadership demonstrates to the workers that the agreement signed in January is still valid.

“We were promised a green new deal but all we’ve seen is corporate greenwash. Fan blades that would be transported from Lancashire to Derby will now go via Singapore. No green tech, no training school to compensate, just disaster capitalism.

“The staff, and indeed the community’s surrounding Barnoldswick, know full well that Rolls Royce’s original plans would have seen the factory close for good. All they want to know is whether a Rolls Royce guarantee means anything. Is the company sticking to the agreement made in January or once again will they fail to deliver?”

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